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The Yahaya Bello Factor: Allegations of Political Protection Behind Kogi West’s Mining Crisis
Beneath the rich soil of Kogi West, vast deposits of gold, lithium, and other rich mineral deposits promise prosperity. But for the local communities, this mineral wealth has become a wave of insecurity, land grabbing, and fear that residents and security sources directly attribute to powerful political figures and their foreign proxies.
Based on reports from 2024 and 2025, by David Hundeyin there are allegations linking former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to illegal mining activities, particularly involving the extraction of solid minerals in the Yagba area of Kogi West.
An investigation spanning several weeks, involving interviews with community leaders, security personnel, and mining experts, reveals a disturbing pattern: licensed and illegal miners, allegedly backed by prominent politicians, are suspected of arming bandits to terrorize local populations, driving them from their ancestral lands to allow for unchecked and highly profitable mineral extraction.
The Kogi West Blueprint: Politicians, Proxies, and Fear
The epicenter of this crisis is in the communities of Kogi West Senatorial District. Residents, who spoke exclusively on condition of anonymity for fear of violent reprisals, point fingers at a well-known network.
“The mining sites are not run by our people,” one community elder from Yagba West Local Government Area explained, his voice barely a whisper. “They are being done by proxy by some Chinese who are holding it for prominent Kogi politicians. Among them is a former Chief of Staff and a former Governor. They have the cover, and the Chinese have the machines. We have the suffering.”
The modus operandi, as described by multiple sources, follows a chillingly consistent script:
Mineral-rich communities are identified, often through covert surveying.
Large parcels of land are acquired through a combination of coercion, deceit, and the exploitation of poverty. Locals report being offered paltry sums for land they did not fully understand the value of.
For those who refuse to sell or who later protest, intimidation begins. This starts with threats and escalates to violent attacks by armed men who arrive on motorcycles, often in the dead of night.
Once the community is sufficiently terrorized and displaced, the mining operations begin in earnest. Heavy machinery, operated primarily by Chinese nationals, moves in, guarded by private security forces that locals view as an occupying army.
“Most of these lands were sold ignorantly and secretly,” lamented a youth leader from Yagba East LGA. “Our fathers were given crumbs for what they thought was barren land. They were told it was for farming. Now, we see trucks upon trucks leaving with our gold and that black stone [lithium]. When we try to ask questions, we are met with bullets.”
The state government has repeatedly announced initiatives to curb illegal mining, but residents claim these efforts are cosmetic, targeting only small-scale, local artisanal miners while leaving the large, politically-connected operations untouched.
A Disturbing Pattern: From Niger to Zamfara
The situation in Kogi West is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, more sinister pattern replicated across Nigeria’s mineral-rich regions.
Niger State: In areas like Shiroro, a direct nexus has been established between armed bandits and illegal miners. Bandits attack villages, killing and kidnapping locals, creating a security vacuum. They then offer “protection” to illegal miners operating in the seized territory, taking a cut of the profits. This creates a perverse economy where insecurity becomes a profitable business model for both the bandits and their sponsors.
Zamfara State: This state became the textbook case of the phenomenon. Illegal gold mining was so rampant and so deeply tied to armed banditry that the federal government declared a no-fly zone and implemented a full-scale ban on mining activities in 2019 to cut off the funding source for the terrorists. Despite this, reports persist of operations continuing under the protection of armed groups.
Katsina and Kaduna States: Similar reports echo from these states, where communities accuse “outsiders” of collaborating with bandits to dispossess them of their land, particularly gold-rich areas.
In each case, the playbook is the same: use violence to create fear and displacement, then move in to exploit the resources. The profits from this illegal trade are then used to purchase more weapons, fund more attacks, and bribe officials, creating a vicious, self-sustaining cycle of violence and exploitation.
Land Grabbing: The Arm-twisting Tactics of Economic Terrorists
A sad case of land grabbing is the ongoing legal dispute by Iddo-Ojesa community in Yagba East local government with Relix Mining Company Limited (Chinese company) who through alleged wrong negotiation with Joshman Multiconcept Limited (Nigeria Company owned by current Chairman of Yagba East LGA) and other impersonators reportedly swindled an unsuspecting Chinese company in the fraudulent purchase of a large expanse of land that is up to a quarter of the entire LGA!
On the 17th of January 2023, a consent was signed between the Omo Meru Family of Iddo Ojesa community and Joshman Multiconcept Company, owned by the current Chairman Yagba East Local Government Area, Mr Dare Joshua, for a mining exploration licence covering a small portion of the family land.
Mr Dare’s company failed to stick to earlier agreement by selling the entire Meru family land to the unsuspecting Chinese company (Rellix Mining Limited) aided by unscrupulous representatives of Meru’s family and others who appended their signatures to the illicit deal without the consent of the family head and other principal members of the family.
Meru’s family has an ancestral land in Odo- Osin. There has never been any dispute in the past and interestingly, Meru Family are one of the largest land owner in Yagba land and Okun nation in general.
Joshman Multconcept Limited only came into the scenario January 2023 for a consent letter towards mining exploration which was given to him. It was later discovered that the consent letter signed on 17th January 2023 for the exploration licences was doctored by Mr Dare’s company and resubmitted for the purpose of small scale mining lease, but both documents bear the same date which is quite impossible if due process was followed.
By July 2023, Mr Dare came seven months after the consent letter was issued to his company and connived with some elders who are illiterates and created the impression to the elders that a compensation will be paid to the family as a result of the consent granted to his company. He told them they must append their signatures on some document in the palace of Agbana of Isanlu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Moses Etombi. The elders includes: Chief Osadumi Sunday, Elder Elder Rowland Olorunsola, among others. They were made to sign agreement for the sale of the entire land covering over 253 square kilometres which is over a quarter of the Local Government Area.
With documents presented to the Chinese company, the land mass currently in dispute has encroached into many other communities including Idofin, Makutu, Odogbe, Ilafin and part of Ifare, Iboro, Ofe, Ipele clans in both Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas.
Curiously, the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) for the disputed land has been issued by the state government. More curious is the fact that the date on the CofO showed it was issued within 24 hours after the land agreement was signed. This further proves the interest of some state actors in the ongoing land grabbing activities in Kogi West.
The Forgotten Communities: Minerals Rich Villages’ Neglect a Deliberate Act?
Most of the communities under intense bandit attacks across Kogi West are ‘forgotten towns, villages and hamlets’. With near zero social amenities, the obvious neglect by government is glaring in these communities.
When bandits began to attack communities like Okoloke, Isanlu Esa in Yagba West LGA, Olle Bunu and other interior communities in Kabba Bunu LGA, Odogbe, Idofin and Ilafin in Yagba East LGA, many wondered why they were being attacked. These are communities populated mainly by poor peasant farmers and low-income traders. There are no security posts in these forgotten communities.
Emerging evidence showed that these poor communities have diverse economically viable mineral deposits in their soil.
A registered Nigerian Company with Registration No RC 1091756, Sincerity Mining And Construction Co Ltd, posted on their corporate website that the company was granted an Exploration License on 4 Cadastral Units by the Mining Cadastral Office an Agency under the Ministry of Solid Minerals & Mines on the 8th of September 2015 to get involved in mining activities.
The allocation was at Okoloke, Yagba West, Kogi State, Nigeria. The Exploration License is for Tantalite & Gold Exploration but surprisingly, the Geology and Geochemical Survey discovered arrays of Minerals that were not quoted to be in Nigeria. These strange discoveries at National Geological and Mineral Laboratories Kaduna further led the Geologist from Nigeria Geological Survey Agency to send the report of the tests to Bureau Veritas Laboratories of Canada to conduct further tests of the materials which led to the discoveries of the following in the other of importance – (1) Nickel (2) Chromium (3) Cobalt (4) Copper (5) Barium (6) Marble (7) Gold etc.
“Further Exploration exercises carried out include a Geotechnical Survey, Aeromagnetic Data Interpretation among others that led to the Government granting of expansion of the Cadastral Units from the initial 4 units plus an additional 148 units on the 2nd Exploration License and subsequently the grant of SSML (Small Scale Mining Lease) while Exploration exercises continue the 148 Cadastral.
“On record, it was on our Okoloke Site, Kogi State that the Nickel, Chromium, and Cobalt were first discovered in Nigeria before that of Kaduna State for which a visiting Australian Minister of Mines a few years ago quoted as a strange occurrence in Nigeria.
“The Laboratory Tests conducted at FUTA (Federal University of Technology) Akure, Ondo State this year 2022 further confirm the presence of Lithium Ore through Geochemical Analysis with further tests on other associated minerals ongoing on the same site,” the company wrote on its website.
It is confirmed that many of these communities in Kogi West have huge solid mineral deposits. Also, these communities are grossly under-developed. They were deprived basic amenities and now being ruthlessly displaced by unchecked armed terrorists. People are already asking if these communities were deliberately sidelined in the development initiatives to frustrate them and probably force them to leave their lands for better communities.
Mining Activities Remain a Black Market Operation in Kogi West
Indigenes of host mining communities are largely unaware of what is going on in their forests. Only a few sellouts know the companies mining in their communities and they prefer it remains so.
They approach local miners, usually artisanal, and ask about mineral-rich communities. They know the areas better than these foreigners, so they take them to the mining sites and introduce them to the traditional rulers. They pay these monarchs between five hundred thousand and two million naira, depending on the sincerity of the middlemen. The excited traditional ruler readily gives them letter of consent to operate in their forests. They also sign the mandatory Community Development Agreements (CDAs) without input from their subjects. In almost all mining host communities, contents of CDAs are not known by indigenes. A preferred black market operation. The traditional rulers are usually excited because they felt the coming of ‘investors’ will bring rapid development to their communities. It is worth mentioning that these are usually ‘forgotten communities’ with little or no government presence. Of course, the ‘greek gift’ also encouraged these tradition rulers to act without carrying out due diligence.
The state government has not been transparent in its dealings in this sector as well. Few months ago, the incumbent Governor announced the acquisition of 15 mining licenses and promised to involve communities in the operations. He is the first Governor to make public the state government acquisition of mining licenses. Truth is, this is not the first time Kogi state government is securing licenses and seeking ‘investors’ to trade with in the extractive industry. Since the acquisition was done in secret, these licenses usually ended up in private hands without public knowledge.
Hostile Takeover of Mining Sites
The battle that began in the forest is currently consuming communities. Quite a number of mining sites across Kogi West are not known to Ministry of Solid Minerals Development or the cadastre office. Legal, illegal and unlicensed artisanal miners control these sites. For the illegal miners, their men largely live in the forests, sleeping in makeshift huts and are usually armed to protect themselves. Battle for control of these mining sites have seen the weaker players being displaced violently by the sides with state backing. Changes in government also brings about change in power play in these forests. When the lesser ones are displaced they usually find it difficult to re-integrate themselves back into normal society having spent years being ‘Lords of the Forests’. They are still armed and now jobless. Crime becomes the easiest route to survival.
In March 2025, while celebrating one year success of the mining marshals, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, announced that 3,000 illegal gold miners had been flushed out.
He alluded to the fact that these illegal miners had some sort of of corporate backing.
“The gravity of illegal mining worsened with the emergence of companies that collaborate with individual miners to perpetrate this evil. While individual illegal miners are unable to excavate deeply due to the limitations of modern equipment and finance, corporate collaborators encourage deeper excavation and scale up the criminality.
“The first clearance operation took place at Mining Lease 19325 of North-South Extractive Industries Limited, located in Jagula, off Isanlu in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. Over 3,000 illegal miners were digging and carting away precious grams of gold, whereas threats barred the real owners, who obtained the license in 2016, from operations.
“The Mining Marshals flushed them out completely and stationed men on site to maintain law and order till date,” he said.
This clearance operation was carried out by federal government without recourse to sub-national authorities. Nobody monitored where those dislodged moved to after the clearance operation.
Our Lives Better Off Before the Coming of ‘Investors’
The communities that have come under severe attacks in Kogi West are largely agrarian communities. They have lived in peace for decades living and enjoying their simple lives. Though not rich to afford luxury lifestyles, they were happy people.
When miners started coming in, their hopes were high that mother fortune had smiled on them. They thought their communities will get benefits that had eluded them for decades but years after, there is nothing to show for their hospitality.
Instead of getting a better lease of life, their fortunes sadly nosedived. Their dusty but motorable roads are now in sorry state. Their main source of sustenance, farms, are no longer accessible due to activities of armed hoodlums. Despondency sets in.
Peace has eluded their communities and the usual low-budget fun activities have all ceased.
Is it a curse to have mineral deposits in their communities?
Observations and The Human Cost
Our investigation observed several key issues:
The mining sites are ecological disaster zones. Forests are cleared, deep, unregulated pits are dug and left open, and waterways are contaminated with mercury and other chemicals, poisoning the primary source of water for remaining communities
The promise of jobs for locals is a mirage. The skilled operation of heavy machinery and security is handled by outsiders. Young men in the communities, stripped of their farmlands, are left in poverty, making them vulnerable to recruitment by the very bandits terrorizing them.
Beyond the land, communities are being stripped of their heritage. Sacred sites and ancestral graves have been desecrated and bulldozed minerals.
The most palpable observation is the overwhelming climate of fear. No one is willing to speak on the record. The names of the powerful politicians are an open secret in whispered conversations, but the fear of being labeled, attacked, or “disappeared” ensures public silence.
The illegal mining in Kogi West and beyond is more than an economic crime; it is a primary driver of Nigeria’s internal security crisis. It represents a brutal form of resource-backed colonialism, where local populations are violently subdued so that national resources can be carted away with impunity.
Until there is a sincere, unbiased effort to dismantle the powerful political and corporate networks behind this trade—and to address the complicity of elements within the security forces—the cycle of violence will continue. The land in Kogi West may hold the key to a technological future powered by lithium and a prosperous future built on gold, but for now, it only yields fear and bloodshed.
Source: https://x.com/davidhundeyin/status/1801546826165727303?s=48&t=6183R9SJ6i9BggqMHCBt5g
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the state government to suspend further salary deductions affecting workers pending the conclusion of investigations by a committee set up to address the issue.
For the past three months, workers in the state have complained about unexplained deductions from their monthly salaries, describing the development as unacceptable. Many affected workers insist that even those who report to work regularly and punctually have had portions of their salaries deducted.
Some workers have accused the state government of implementing punitive measures linked to the prolonged Monday sit-at-home order previously enforced by the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which kept many workers away from their duties for several years.
Speaking with journalists, the Anambra State NLC Chairman, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, disclosed that the issue was raised during the 2026 Workers’ Day celebration, prompting Governor Charles Soludo to establish a committee to investigate the allegations.
According to Nwafor, the committee comprises the NLC Chairman, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, the Commissioner for Finance, and the Head of Service.
He explained that during the committee’s meeting last week, members resolved that salary deductions should be suspended pending the submission of the committee’s final report. The responsibility of addressing the issue in the interim was assigned to the Commissioner for Finance and the Head of Service.
“We met last week and resolved that those deductions should be put on hold for now while the Commissioner for Finance and the Head of Service manage the situation. Organized Labour has agreed to stay action while the government looks into the matter,” Nwafor said.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Head of Service, Barrister Ngozi Anuli-Iwuono, were unsuccessful. When contacted, she expressed frustration over frequent calls from journalists and declined to comment on the matter.
This reporter had earlier contacted her on Monday, when she explained that she was attending an Executive Council meeting and could not immediately respond. However, when contacted again on Tuesday, June 9, at about 1:25 p.m., she stated that she was in another meeting.
“I am in another meeting. Why are journalists calling me every time? Last time it was Tribune, today it is Telegraph. Please, you people should stop calling me,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, assured workers that the matter was receiving attention and revealed that some affected employees had already started receiving the balance of their deducted salaries.
Mefor explained that most of the affected workers were stationed outside the state headquarters. He noted that the Ministry of Finance relies on attendance records submitted by various departments and unit heads to determine salary payments.
“It is based on the information available to the Ministry of Finance regarding those who reported for duty through the attendance clock-in system. This issue mainly affects workers in outstations and not those at the headquarters,” he said.
“People have started receiving their full salaries, and many of those who failed to clock in were affected. This is already being verified.”
Using the Ministry of Information as an example, Mefor said the ministry has about 185 workers, the majority of whom serve as Information Officers across local government areas. He added that evidence of their attendance was submitted to the Ministry of Finance to facilitate payment.
“Here in the Ministry of Information, we have about 185 workers, most of whom are posted to local government areas. We provided evidence of their attendance to the Ministry of Finance, and necessary adjustments are being made,” he stated.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed the death of three persons following the derailment of the Warri-Itakpe train in Agbor, Delta State.
The corporation disclosed that four coaches left the rail track during the incident, which occurred on Monday, June 8, 2026.
In a statement, the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said emergency response teams and other relevant authorities were immediately mobilised to the scene to manage the situation and provide assistance to affected passengers.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed a serious train accident involving the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor at Agbor, Delta State,” the statement said.
According to Opeifa, rescue and emergency response operations were activated immediately after the accident, and all passengers on board have since been accounted for.
“Sadly, three fatalities have been confirmed at this time,” he stated.
He added that relevant authorities are continuing to assess the full circumstances surrounding the incident, while support is being provided to injured and affected passengers.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and loved ones during this difficult time,” Opeifa said.
The NRC urged members of the public to rely only on verified information and official updates from the corporation as investigations into the cause of the derailment continue.
A newly married Nigerian woman who was recently declared missing by her family in Abuja has reportedly left her matrimonial home after discovering that her husband allegedly had two children with different women.
The woman, from Mbabum Community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, had been the subject of a public appeal by her family, who sought assistance in locating her after she allegedly left her husband’s residence in Abuja.
According to a statement attributed to a family representative, Hon. Goshi Peter, the woman married Goshi Bem in March 2026 but left her matrimonial home about two weeks ago and had not returned.
However, in an update shared on Saturday, June 6, 2026, a Facebook user, Tyom Alexander, claimed she had spoken with the woman by phone.
According to Alexander, the woman said she left her husband’s home after discovering that he had two children from different women, information she alleged was not disclosed to her before their marriage.
“I have been able to speak with this woman through the phone number provided by the whistleblower,” Alexander wrote.
“She said her husband didn’t tell her that he had children before their marriage. She only discovered this after they relocated to Abuja.
“The first child is five years old, while the second child is two years old, both from different mothers.”
Alexander further claimed that the woman stated she was safe and still in Abuja, and reportedly warned her husband not to bother searching for her.
“According to her, the man should not bother looking for her as she is doing fine in Abuja,” Alexander added.
“If this is true, then the man has disappointed me. I wait to hear the man’s side of the story.”
As of the time of filing this report, the husband’s response to the allegations had not been made public.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The fate of Nigerian roads especially the highways appears to be under threat of this year’s rainy season following fears by professionals that the over 200,000 kilometers of roads may collapse by the end of the year .
Deepening this apprehension is the lack of maintenance of those roads which have yearly carried loafs above it’s capacity occasioned by heavy duty trucks and tankers .
Expressing these fears , Consultant Engineer to the Federal government Patience Aningo noted that if urgent steps are not taken this year’s rainy season would spell doom for motorists and other road users across the country.
“Without consistent enforcement of axle load limits, and steady maintenance of our federal highways there strong indications that the country is at the risk of loosing over 200,000 kilometers of roads ”
“Roads require precision from proper compaction to correct layer thickness”
“By then, what could have been addressed with minor engineering challenges would become a huge cost of maintenance”
“The frustrations lies a deeper issue and the persistent failure of roads that should last far longer is compromised by laxity on the part of the authorities concerned”
“The outcomes are sometimes undermined by weak supervision, inconsistent material quality, and cost”
She observed that poor drainage system has also been the bane of the Federal roads in the country.
“Nigeria has one of the largest road networks in Africa estimated at over 200,000 kilometers yet a
One major factor is inadequate drainage”
“Roads are not just paved surfaces; they are engineered drainage
systems, sealing cracks, and timely patching remains underutilized, despite its proven
underlying soil, and accelerates structural deterioration”
“In a country with intense seasonal rainfall, neglecting drainage is one
of the fastest ways to shorten a road’s lifespan.’
“Regulations must be enforced consistently to protect infrastructure investments”
“Similarly, the Abuja–Kaduna Highway remains a critical but vulnerable route, where
pavement distress and operational challenges continue to highlight the strain placed on key compromise
during construction directly reduces durability and increases long-term costs”
“Drainage must be treated as a core design element, not an afterthought which affects Axle load against
what they were originally designed for”
“Heavy-duty trucks often overloaded introduce stresses that affect the roads ”
“Many Nigerian roads now carry traffic volumes and axle loads far beyond routes in the country
and despite ongoing reconstruction efforts, sections have deteriorated quickly ”
“When water is not properly managed, it penetrates the pavement layers, weakens the
This pattern is evident on major corridors such as the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, one of the busiest in the country “she stated.
Enugu Govt Dismisses Viral UNN Attack Alert, Moves to Track Perpetrator
The Enugu State Government has dismissed as false and misleading a viral social media post alleging an imminent terrorist attack on the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), assuring students, staff, and residents that there is no credible security threat to the institution.
The government described the post as the handiwork of criminal elements seeking to create panic, fear, and confusion within the university community and across the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, said the government had taken note of the viral message warning of a possible attack by individuals described as terrorists and jihadists.
According to him, investigations indicate that the alarm is false and part of a deliberate attempt by criminal elements and their collaborators to undermine public confidence in the state’s security efforts.
Agbo recalled that similar false alerts had been circulated in the past concerning locations such as Holy Ghost, Obollo Afor, Opi, Nsukka, Gariki, Awgu, and other parts of the state. He noted that those behind previous misinformation campaigns often operated anonymously and recycled old videos to create the impression of ongoing attacks.
He added that many of the perpetrators of the earlier false alarms were eventually identified and apprehended by security agencies.
The commissioner disclosed that the state government is already working closely with security agencies to track down those responsible for the latest viral post and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to public safety, Agbo said the government had continued to invest heavily in modern security infrastructure and technology to strengthen security operations across the state.
He stressed that the protection of lives and property remains a top priority of the administration of Peter Mbah, noting that recent investments have significantly improved the capacity and responsiveness of security agencies operating in the state.
The government therefore urged members of the UNN community, residents of Nsukka, and the general public to remain calm and continue their lawful activities without fear, assuring them that adequate measures are in place to guarantee their safety.
It further reiterated its resolve to sustain efforts aimed at maintaining peace and security across Enugu State while taking decisive action against individuals who spread false information capable of causing public panic.
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